Rhode Island Republican

The friends of real religion have reason to rejoice in President Jefferson's administration, and to pray for his re-election ; not merely on account of his liberal contributions to its support, but especially for his writings in favor of the equal toleration and protection of all religious sects, in their various opinions and modes of worship, without any legal preference or subordination of one to others. On this subject, indeed, he has been grossly misrepresented and abused, at first by certain ecclesiastics of Virginia, whose livings depended upon a church establishment, by which tithes were payable from dissenters, as well as those of the established order, and afterwards by his federal opponents, who, to enlist on their side the religious prejudices of a certain portion of the nation, seized this objection and represented him an enemy to all religion. But his sentiments will bear the test ; for they are founded on justice and are conformable to the spirit of the gospel. Freedom of enquiry and profession is among the best human means of promoting that Religion as well as that philosophy and that government, which is the true one.

The period of Mr. Jefferson's Presidency has been singularly blessed, by a gracious Providence, with moral and religious reformation. This seems to be a mark of the divine approbation of the system of Toleration and Freedom.

Sun.
The late venerable Dr. Stiles, President of Yale College, who was an acquaintance and correspondent of Mr. Jefferson, says, in his Election Sermon preached before the Governor and Assembly of Connecticut, that " JEFFERSON poured the Soul of the Continent into the monumental act of independence." It is a well known fact that, as chairman of the committee of Congress, he drafted the Declaration of Independence ; and there is something peculiarly agreeable in the idea that the author of that Declaration should live to preside over the United States.

ib.